Abadi visits Saudi ahead of Iran stop

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday on a tour that will also take him to Riyadh’s rival Iran and to Kuwait. His visit comes with the Gulf region in turmoil after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other allies cut ties with Qatar two weeks ago. They accuse Doha of supporting extremist groups, including some backed by Iran, “that aim to destabilize the region”.

Kuwait, which did not follow its neighbors in severing diplomatic relations with Qatar, has been trying to mediate. Abadi is to hold talks with Saudi King Salman, Kuwait’s Amir HH Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah and Iranian president Hassan Rouhani during his tour of the region. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef greeted Abadi when he landed in the Red Sea city of Jeddah for the one-day visit, state media reported.

Abadi, from his country’s largest Shiite political bloc, arrives at a time of heightened tensions between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and its Shiite-dominated rival Iran. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran early last year after years of strained relations. Riyadh has long expressed concern about Iran’s “interference” in the region, including through Iraq’s paramilitary Hashed AlShaabi which has played a major role in reclaiming parts of Iraq seized by the Islamic State group.

Gulf states are also reported to have been angered by a ransom allegedly paid by Doha to Tehranlinked militias earlier this year to secure the release of a hunting party, including members of the Qatari royal family, kidnapped in southern Iraq. — AFP